Author(s):
Chayer Amelie <amelie@icbl.org> .
Tuesday 30 November 2010
An economic empowerment project in Angola. Photo: Giovanni Diffidenti
Action #41 of the Cartagena Action Plan calls for States Parties to ensure that development cooperation is inclusive of, and accessible to, persons with disabilities, including mine survivors.
The Mine Ban Treaty’s Standing Committee on Victim Assistance makes five specific recommendations for implementing this action of the plan, and states that “inclusive development is an appropriate mechanism to ensure that landmine victims and other persons with disabilities have access to the same opportunities in life as every other sector of a society.”
The International Campaign to Ban Landmines advocates for a "twin-track approach" to inclusive development and victim assistance. (1) Such an approach means ensuring that all appropriate and "mainstream" economic development programs are fully accessible to landmine and explosive remnants of war survivors by removing all physical and attitudinal barriers that might prevent their participation. It also means simultaneously providing specialized programs and initiatives to strengthen the capacity of survivors, so that they are better positioned to actively participate in and benefit from development.
Similarly, the Standing Committee on Victim Assistance recommends that: "While integrating victim assistance into development programmes it may also be necessary to provide specialized services to ensure that mine survivors and other persons with disabilities are empowered to participate on an equal basis with others."
Development programs often address health systems, governance systems and local authorities, education and work or employment.
In all these areas, survivors have the right to be part of the development of their countries, making contributions in the implementation and as beneficiaries of these programs. Additionally, the inclusion of survivors helps to ensure that, as systems are designed and progress, they are being adjusted in ways that are accessible to all persons with disabilities, including survivors.
What is inclusive development?
Inclusive development is an approach to development that respects the full human rights of every person.
It acknowledges diversity, works to eradicate poverty and aims to include all people as active participants in the development process and activities, regardless of age, gender, disability, state of health, ethnic origin or any other characteristic.
When considering the inclusion of persons with disabilities in development, it means ensuring that all phases of the development cycle (design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation) include a disability dimension and that persons with disabilities are meaningfully participating in development processes and policies. (2)
- Survivors have a right to be involved in the planning and implementation of development activities in their communities (locally and at the national level), and to benefit from them.
(1) See the ICBL's Guiding Principles for Victim Assistance, April 2007, p. 2
(2) Inclusive Development and the Comprehensive and Integral International Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities, prepared by the IDDC Task Group on the UN Convention, 2005.